1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a power plug connector having press-fit contacts for being mounted on a printed circuit board of a server.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that each server is equipped with a power plug connector for connecting with a complementary cable assembly which connects with a power supply system for supplying power to a printed circuit board on which the power plug connector is mounted. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a related power plug connector comprises a two-piece insulative housing 8 consisting of an upper housing 80 and a lower housing 81 and a plurality of contacts 9 retained therein. The upper housing 80 defines a plurality of upper passageways 82 and the lower housing 81 defines a plurality of lower passageways 83 corresponding to the upper passageways 82. Each contact 9 includes a mating portion 90, a mounting portion 92 perpendicular to the mating portion 90, and a projection 94 formed at the junction of the mating portion 90 and the mounting portion 92. In assembly, the contacts 9 are first downwardly inserted into the lower passageways 83 of the lower housing 81. The upper housing 80 is then secured to the lower housing 81 with fasteners and the projections 94 of the contacts 9 are received in the upper passageways 82. Thus, the contacts 9 are retained in the housing 8.
However, securing the contacts 9 to the housing 8 in the above-mentioned manner is time-consuming. During the assembly process, the upper passageways 82 of the upper housing 80 must be accurately aligned with the lower passageways 83 of the lower housing 81. Since the upper housing 80 and the lower housing 81 are individually molded, the manufacturing is complicated, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost. Further, when the power plug connector is subject to vibration, the engagement between the upper housing 80 and the lower housing 81 is easy to become loose. This will cause the contacts 9 to be unreliably secured in the housing 8. As a result, an electrical engagement between the power plug connector and the cable assembly may be adversely affected.
Hence, an improved power plug connector having press-fit contacts secured in a unitarily molded housing thereof is required to overcome the disadvantages of the related art.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a power plug connector having press-fit contacts reliably secured to an insulative housing thereof, thereby ensuring a reliable electrical engagement between the power plug connector and a complementary cable assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a power plug connector having a unitarily molded insulative housing for stably retaining a plurality of contacts therein.
In order to achieve the objects set forth, a power plug connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a unitarily molded insulative housing and a plurality of press-fit contacts retained in the housing. The housing defines a receiving cavity in a mating face thereof, a plurality of passageways upwardly extending from a mounting face thereof and communicating with the receiving cavity, and a plurality of upwardly extending recesses each communicating with a corresponding passageway. The contacts are press-fit into the housing from the mounting face. Each contact includes a mating portion received in the receiving cavity, a mounting portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the mating portion and received in the corresponding passageway, and a retention portion upwardly extending from the mounting portion. The retention portion is received in a corresponding recess and has a plurality of barbs thereon for retaining the retention portion in the recess. Thus, the contact is reliably secured to the housing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.